Combined cotton-chopper and row-cleaner.



W. R. PRUITT.

COMBINED COTTON CHOPPER AND ROW CLEANER.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 20,1908.

921,886. Patented May 18, 1909.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY '20, 1908.

Patented May 18, 1909.

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WILLIAM R. PRUITT, OF TALLASSEE, ALABAMA.

COMBINED COTTON-CHOPPER AND ROW-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed May 20, 1908. Serial No. 433,926.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. PRUITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tallassee, in the county of Elmore, State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Cotton-Choppers and Row-Cleaners and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and

' exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to a cotton chopper and more particularly tothe class of combined cotton chopper and row cleaner.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a chopper havinga rotatable shaft journaled longitudinally of a wheeled frame whichchopper is actuated through the medium of the wheels of the frame sothat the chopper will rotate about the said shaft transversely of thesame and mounted. rearwardly of the chopper upon the said frame areinwardly converging supports having depending teeth so that uponadvanced movement of the wheeled frame these teeth will disperse the cutplants laterally to opposite sides of the cotton row after the same hasbeen thinned out by the said chopper.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combined cottonchopper and row cleaner having a wheeled frame for supporting anadjustable cotton chopper mounted upon a shaft journaled longitudinallyof the frame and which shaft is actuated through the medium of gearingby the wheels of the frame whereby the cotton chopper blade will becaused to rotate about the said shaft transversely of the frame andwhich latter supports at its rear extremity a cleaner structure sopositioned whereas the cut plants will be thrown to opposite sides of acotton row during the operation of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined cottonchopper and row cleaner of a character which 1s simple, efficient,durable and comparatively inexpensive in the manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention for example, consistsin the construction, combinatlon and arrangement of parts which will behereinafter more fully described and as illustrated in the accom'panying drawings disclosing the preferred embodiment of the invention,however,

changes, variations and modifications will be resorted to, such. as comeproperly within the scope of the claims hereunto appended, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:Figure is a top plan view of'the invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end View. Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly insection of the blade and its 31TH.

S milar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

In the drawings the numeral 2- designates the side bars of a main orsupporting frame of the machine and which side bars are connected bytransverse cross beams or bars 3 which latter are arranged a distanceremoved from the front and rear extremities of said side bars. Upon theunderface near the front end. of each side bar 2 are secured axlebearings 4 which receive a rotatable front axle 5 having secured theretoat opposite ends in any suitable manner wheels 6 which form the maindriving wheels for the cotton chopper hereinafter described. Secured tothe front ends of the side bars 2 is a draft pole attaching bar 7 whichmay be of any usual or conventional form and to which the draft animalsmay be connected for advancing or transporting the machine over a fieldfor cultivating operation.

At a point intermediate the side bars 2 and upon the front axle 5 issecured a hub 8 having radial spokes 9 which support a beveled drivinggear 10 in mesh with a beveled pinion 11 having a collar 12 surroundinga driven shaft 13 at one end thereof and secured to the latter by a setscrew 14. The driven shaft 13 extends longitudinally oi the main frameand is supported centrally thereof in bearings 15 secured to theunderside of the cross bars or beams 3 of the main frame.

Longitudinally movable on the driven shaft 13 is a collar or cuff 16surrounding the said shaft and which carries a set screw 17 for lockingsaid collar or cuff 16 in adjusted positions throughout a portion of the1011- gitudinal length of said. driven shaft. Projecting outwardly fromthe collar or cuff 16 at right angles to the driven shaft 13 and inparallel relation or alinement with each other are extensions formingarms 18 one of which carries at its free end an adjustable collar orsleeve 19 having a set screw 20 for adjustably securing the said sleeveon the arm 18. The sleeve 19 is secured by rivets 21 to a curved cutterblade or hoe 22 and upon the operation of the latter due to thecurvature thereof the same has a tendency to throw the dirt from the rowof the cotton plant.

To the side bars 2 are secured by bolt fasteners 23, rearwardlyextending inclined handle bars 24 connected near their upper end by atransverse rung 25 and which are of the usual construction.

Near the rear ends of the side bars 2 and secured to the underfacethereof are axle bearings 26 in which is journaled the rear axle 27having fixed thereto at opposite cxtremities rear wheels 28 in anysuitable manner.

Secured to the underfacc of the rearniost cross bar or beam 3 areinwardly converging supports 29 having their opposite ends curvedoutwardly and rearwardly as at 30 to form extensions 3]. which aresecured. to the extremities of the side bars 2. Depending from the suports 29 and arranged at suitable interva s apart are teeth 32 whichlatter 7 catch up the cut plants from the row of cotton and disbursesaid cut plants to opposite sides of the main frame and also to one sideof the row. Primarily, these teeth 32 are adapted to clean the cutplants from the row, however, said teeth are shown. slightly extendinginto the ground to break lumpy earth as the cotton chopper advances overthe row to be cultivated. On the outer end of the arm 18 opposite thecorresponding arm carrying the cutter blade or hoe 22 is an longitudinalaxis of said shaft, and closely arranged teeth carried by and dependingfrom said bars, the said teeth being disposed in diagonal rows acrossthe path of the cut ting action of said chopper to disperse cut plantsoutwardly to opposite sides of the e frame. 7

2. The combination with a frame having a rotatable chopper, of a rowcleaner in rear of the chopper and havin rows of depending teeth, eachrow of teeth converging inwardly toward each other, the inner ends ofthe rows terrnmatlng 1n spaced relation to each other to permit thepassage ofstanding plants therebetween and also to disperse cut plantsoutwardly to opposite sides of the frame. 7

In testimony whereof, I 'aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' WILLIAM R. PRUITT. Witnesses:

GEO. D. PATTERSON, C. G. PRINoE.

V eing disposed atone w it side of the axis of rotation of the chopperand

